Tax 11.16 NoteNote: Under department of transportation rules, a licensed carrier (LC) number is required if a common or contract carrier hauls goods of others for hire. The sales and use tax exemption in par. (a) applies only if the common or contract carrier used the vehicle exclusively for hauling goods of others for hire.
Tax 11.16(1)(b)(b) Accessories and attachments. Accessories, attachments, parts, and supplies for exempt vehicles are exempt from the sales and use tax under s. 77.54 (5) (b), Stats. This exemption includes the following items if they are assigned to and carried on vehicles used exclusively as common or contract carriers: dollies, pianoboards, ladders, walkboards, tire chains, fire extinguishers, flares, bug deflectors, engine block heaters, defroster fans, auxiliary heaters and cooling units and their fuel, radios, flag kits including flags and reflectors, cell phones, tracking devices, global positioning system or “GPS” units, on board recorders, and items designed to be used with a vehicle which protect or secure the vehicle’s load including tape, fitted tarpaulins, tarpaulin straps, furniture pads and covers, load holding chains, logistic straps, and shoring beams. This exemption does not include corrugated boxes, containers, and related materials that are transferred to customers in conjunction with the selling, performing, or furnishing of a moving service, as provided in par. (g). Tax 11.16 NoteNote: In a decision dated May 19, 1980 in the case of Leicht Transfer & Storage Co., Inc. vs. Wisconsin Department of Revenue the Dane County Circuit Court reversed the November 23, 1979 decision of the Wisconsin Tax Appeals Commission and held that van equipment and supplies that are exempt under s. 77.54 (5) (b), Stats., include furniture pads, covers, packing supplies, tape, pianoboards, ladders, walkboards, straps, lining paper and corrugated boxes. The Court also stated that “It must be kept in mind that it is undisputed that all of the items are assigned to and carried on the vans.” The Court of Appeals District IV, affirmed the Circuit Court’s decision. Under this interpretation, the only corrugated boxes and packing materials that qualify for exemption under s. 77.54 (5) (b), Stats., are those that are assigned to and carried on an exempt van and that are not transferred to a customer. Tax 11.16(1)(c)(c) Repairs. The sale or furnishing of repair, service, alteration, fitting, cleaning, painting, coating, towing, inspection, and maintenance to exempt vehicles shall be exempt. Tax 11.16(1)(d)(d) Exceptions. The exemption shall not apply to the following property used by common or contract carriers: Tax 11.16(1)(d)2.2. Self-propelled vehicles for off-highway use, such as road machinery, fork lifts, and other industrial trucks. Tax 11.16(1)(e)(e) Equipment and supplies. Equipment acquired by a carrier for the repair, service, or maintenance of its exempt vehicles is not exempt, including repair tools, welding torches, battery chargers, and grinding discs. Tax 11.16(1)(f)(f) Conversion to private use. If a vehicle purchased without tax is converted to private use, a use tax or sales tax pursuant to s. Tax 11.14 (2) (c) is due. The tax is measured by the sales price of the vehicle to the purchaser. Tax 11.16(1)(g)(g) Packaging materials. The transfer to a customer of corrugated boxes, containers, and related packing materials in conjunction with moving or transporting a customer’s goods is incidental to the selling, performing, or furnishing of the moving or transportation service. The service provider is the consumer of the property and shall pay tax on its purchase of the property to be transferred. Tax 11.16(1)(h)(h) Occasional sales. Motor carriers are not required to register as retailers with the department if the sales price from their sales of tangible personal property, items, property, and goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), and (d), Stats., and taxable services are less than $2,000 within a calendar year. Persons who are exempt from registration under this standard shall pay sales or use tax on all purchases of tangible personal property, items, property, and goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), and (d), Stats., and taxable services not otherwise exempt, including items that may be resold to customers. Persons who exceed the standard shall register with the department and obtain a seller’s permit. Persons who register may purchase tangible personal property, items, property, and goods under s. 77.52 (1) (b), (c), and (d), Stats., and taxable services for resale without paying tax by issuing to their supplier a properly completed exemption certificate claiming resale or they may pay the tax to their supplier and, if the property is resold, claim a credit for the tax paid against any sales tax due. Tax 11.16 NoteNote: Refer to s. Tax 11.002 for description of permit requirements, how to apply for a permit, and the 15-day time period within which the department is required to act on permit applications. Tax 11.16 NoteExamples: 1) A truck purchased to transport pads and packing materials to and from moving jobs qualifies for the exemption in par. (a).
Tax 11.16 Note2) Cutting down trees, cutting them into logs, and hauling them to a mill as a private business operation voids the exemption in par. (a), even though the trucker also hauls logs as a common or contract carrier for other persons at the same time.
Tax 11.16 Note3) Vehicles of a milk or cheese factory that engage in hauling milk from farms to its plant for processing do not qualify for the exemption under par. (a).
Tax 11.16 Note4) Towing of vehicles to the repair facility of a garage-wrecker operator is part of a private repair business that is not exempt under par. (a).
Tax 11.16(2)(a)(a) Section 77.54 (12), Stats., provides a sales and use tax exemption for the sales price from the sales of and the storage, use, or other consumption in this state of rail freight or passenger cars, locomotives, or other rolling stock used in railroad operations, or accessories, attachments, parts, lubricants, or fuel therefor. Tax 11.16(2)(b)1.1. The sale or furnishing of repair, service, alteration, fitting, cleaning, painting, coating, towing, inspection, and maintenance to exempt rolling stock. Tax 11.16(2)(b)2.2. Purchases of any equipment that is operated on railroad rails, including an industrial firm’s switching locomotives used to switch freight cars on its own property, except vehicles that may also be used on a highway. Tax 11.16(2)(b)3.3. Fuel used to heat a caboose or run a compressor that cools a railway car. Tax 11.16(2)(b)4.4. A utility’s coal cars used to haul coal from mines to the utility. Tax 11.16(2)(c)1.1. Rails, crossties, and other road building and maintenance materials. However, sales of crossties to a common or contract carrier are exempt if they are shipped wholly or in part by way of the purchasing carrier under a bill of lading, whether the freight is paid in advance or the shipment is made freight charges collect, to a point outside Wisconsin if the property is transported outside Wisconsin for use by the carrier in the conduct of its business as a carrier. The exemption will not be invalidated because of interruption of the shipment for storage, drying, processing, or creosoting of the crossties in Wisconsin. Tax 11.16(3)(a)(a) Section 77.54 (13), Stats., provides a sales and use tax exemption for the sales price from the sales of and the storage, use, or other consumption in this state of commercial vessels and barges of 50-ton burden or over primarily engaged in interstate or foreign commerce or commercial fishing, and the accessories, attachments, parts, and fuel therefor.